Afterthefirstfortnightorthreeweeksofherabsence,health,townforthewinter;and,bythemiddleofJune,KittywassomuchrecoveredastobeabletoenterMerytonwithouttears;aneventofsuchhappypromiseastomakeElizabethhopethatbythefollowingChristmasshemightbesotolerablyreasonableasnottomentionanofficeraboveonceaday,unless,bysomecruelandmaliciousarrangementattheWarOffice,anotherregimentshouldbequarteredinMeryton.
Thetimefixedforthebeginningoftheirnortherntourwasnowfastapproaching,andafofortnightlaterinJuly,andmustbeinLondonagainwithinamonth,andasthatlefttooshortaperiodforthemtogosofar,andseesomuchastheyhadproposed,oratleasttoseeitwiththeleisureandforttheyhadbuilton,theywereobligedtogiveuptheLakes,andsubstituteamorecontractedtour,and,accordingtotheoftheirthreeweeks;andwheretheywerenowtospendafewdays,wasprobablyasgreatanobjectofhercuriosityasallthecelebratedbeautiesofMatlock,Chatsworth,Dovedale,orthePeak.
Elizabethwasexcessivelydisappointed;shehadsetherheartonseeingrtobehappy;andallwassoonrightagain.
androbitofafewpetrifiedsparswithouthispengerboys,weretobeleftundertheparticularcareoftheircousinJane,whowasthegeneralfavourite,andwhosesteadysenseandsweetnessoftemperexactlyadaptedherforattendingtothemineveryway―teachingthem,playingwiththem,andlovingthem.
TheGardinersstayedonlyonenightatLongbourn,andsetoffthens;asuitablenesswhichprehendedhealthandtempertobearinconveniences―cheerfulnesstoenhanceeverypleasure―andaffectionandintelligence,whichmightsupplyitamongthemselvesifthereweredisappointmentsabroad.
ItisnottheobjectofthisworktogiveadeionofDerbyshire,norofanyoftheremarkableplacesthroughwhichtheirroutethitherlay;someacquaintancestillremained,theybenttheirsteps,afterhavingseenalltheprincipalwondersofthecountry;andwithinfivemilesofLambdinerdeclaredhiswillingness,andElizabethwasappliedtoforherapprobation.
“Mylove,shouldnotyouliketoseeaplaceofwhichyouhaveheardsomuch?”saidheraunt;“apls;aftergoingoversomany,shereallyrichlyfurnished,”saidshe,“Ishouldnotcareaboutitmyself;twoulds;andshefinallyresolvedthatitcouldbethelastresource,ifherprivateinquiriestotheabsenceofthefamilywereunfavourablyanswered.
Accordingly,whensheretiredatnight,sheaskedthechambermaidwhetherPemberleywerenotaveryfineplace,whatwasthenameofitsproprietor,and,withnolittlealarm,whetherthefamilyweredownforthesummer?Amostwelenegativefollowedthelastquestion―andheralarmsnowbeingremoved,shewasatleisuretofeelagreatdealofcuriositytoseethehouseherself;andwhenthesubjectwasrevivedthenextmorning,andshewasagainappliedto,couldreadilyanswer,andwithaproperairofindifference,thatshehadnotreallyanydisliketothescheme.
ToPemberley,therefore,theyweretogo.